Hyderabad: India will hold consultations with Pakistan soon to decide on the date for the resumption of the composite dialogue as also at what level and the venue for the talks, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said today (Jan 12, 2004).

Asked at what level the talks will be held, Sinha said, "That I can't say at this point of time. This is something, which will have to be mutually decided. We will consult with the Government of Pakistan in the next few days, weeks. We will fix a date, we will fix the level, and we will fix the venue. We will fix how the talks should proceed."

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday (Jan 10, 2004) had said the two countries have agreed for a step-by-step approach, under which there would be "three crucial foreign secretary-level rounds of talks" beginning next month.

On reports that National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and his Pakistani counterpart, Tariq Aziz, will be appointed special envoys to speed up the process of normalisation, he told 'NDTV 24X7' that no decision has been taken as yet while observing that all these things "still have to be determined".

On the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) cautioning the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government, he said the party had congratulated the Prime Minister for the breakthrough that he achieved in "very uncertain circumstances" during his trip to Islamabad.